Synchronization of machines for recording and reproducing sounds and movements.



I 0. H. VEIRITY.

SYNCHRONIZATION 0F MACHINES FOR RECQRDING AND REPRODUCING SOUNDS ANDMOVEMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED mus. 1917.

1,245,834 Patented Nov. 6,1917.

I v 4 SHEETS SHEET I.

lift-crab) I 0. H. VERITY. "SYNCHRONIZATION or MACHlNES FOR aeconnms ANDREPRODUCING SOUNDS AND MOVEMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23. 191.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Nov.

lhuenl'on (1M2 Hana/hon ll'p F C. H. VERITY. SYNCHRONIZATION 0F MACHINESFOR RECORDING AND REPRODUCING SOUNDS AND MOVEMENTS.-

APPLICATION FILED MAYZS. 1917 Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- C. H.VERlTY. SY'NCHRONIZATIQN OF MACHINES FORRECORDING AND REP'RODUCI'NG SOUNDS AND MOVEMENTS.

I APPLICATION FILED MAY 23. I917. 1,245,834.. Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

I FT l1 ll QL'JA'UDE HA'MILTON VEPJITY, CUE

ENGLAND.

EaYNtL'I-TRUTMIZASUN U1 MACHINES FOR RECORDING nun EEPROIBSCINd SOUNDSMQVEMENTS.

i! 24L535 3 43. Specification of Letters L'Patcnt, 5. .1 It a 11 rApplication filed l liay 23, 1917. herial No. 170,531.

1 b all whomf'it may JJ'tCtf/Tjt.

lie it known that l. Shanon Hannnron Vnui'rir a subject or" llis idajesty the King .tached to a spindle mounted inside the cauierau andonthe extended end thereof is a gear wheel geared to a larger gear wheelwhich is mounted on a spindle mounted on the camera. On the end of thisspindle is drum which carries a n etal segment, and attached to the sideof the camera are metal contact brushes electrically connected toelectroniagnets, fixed on the sound reproducing n'iachine in such a waythat one revolution of the drum allows an electric circuit to passthrough the magnets. Opcratiyely connected to the spindle, on which thedrum isinountcd, a mechanically geared counter, so that each revolutionof the drum can be easily ascertained by \Ytzlitlllnfl the counter. Whenthe IHOVOl'nOIllS are being photographed a shorthand Writer sits-facingthe side ot' the camera on which the above fittings are mounted and isprovided with books or mounted rolls for writing down the *ords of a.drama or speeches to he recorded. These books or mounted rolls arespaced and each space is numbered commencing from 1 up to any desirednumber.

T will now describe the relation between the mechanical counter and thenumbered spaces in the book which the shorthand writer uses.

The film is set in the camera at the l@' its the film is carried.through the camera. by the sprocket wheel previously described. thenumbers appearing on the counter will have a. lined relation to thespeed of the tihn going; through the camera. Supposing that thespccchlobe recorded connnences on the first llllll exposed for recording ments,the shorthand writer WZ'ltO/S under the nrunbercd spaces in. the hookthe exact words spoken by the person making the speech and theseshorthand notes synchronize with. the number given. on the counter.

The spindle carrying the drum may be extended through inside the car eraand may carry a crank on which is lined springheld wheel or marker whichon each rerolution of the spindle produces a mark on the lilni, themarks synchronizing; with the noun hers shown on the counter lacing; theshorthand writer.

T will now describe the attachments to the sound reproducing machinewhich Will enable the method or synchronizing any del nitc position onthe record with any definite position on the him, so that onreproduction in a theater these positions synchronize.

The sound reproducing machine is let into the stage out of iiew of theaudience as much as possible the horns are placed. facing; the audienceand the body of the machine may be boxed in so that an operatorsitting]; behind is out of View of the audience, or it may. he placedbehind the screen so that the numbers on the lihn may he read easily bythe operator regulatinn the speed of the sound reproducing machine. Thecovers over the turntables are arranged to open so that the operator canconveniently arrange the record disks and there are two turntables eachbeing; covered by an independent sound-proof cover. The spindlescarrying the revolving turntables on which the record disks are placedare driven by horizontal spindles by nieans 0t worm gearing. Thehorizontal spindles are prolonged through the sides oil thegrz'unophone, and on their outer ends are attached standard sprocketwheels. An electric motor, with one or more belt drives to eachhoriaoutal spindle, is lined inside the sound reproducing machine in a'i convenient position for this purpose, one motor to each turnta iile.This motor also drives by means of belts a spindle which goes throughthe side of the sound rcproducing; machine. On the outside of the soundreproducing machine are fired two stationary spindles, each on the leftside of one of the sprocket wheels attached to the revolving spindlespreviously described. On the stationary spindles are placed two spoolsfilled with perforated paper ribbon, these perforations being standardand fitting onto the sprockets on the sprocket Wheels. small platform islined under each sprocket wheel and on the platforms areplaced theelectromagnets previously mentitmcd, which electromagnets are employedfor operating); inked wheels or perforators as will now describe.

'lwo OlOCtlOlllagl'lOtS, each independent of the other, are placed oneither side of each sprocket wheel spindle, and an armature is disposedabove the magnets and is pivoted near one of its ends outside of theelectromagnets and has its other end freetomove between guides placed onthe other side of the sprocket wheel. ll. spiral spring is em ployed forkeeping the inked wheel or perforator normally away from the ribbon,which. latter is passed between guides over the sprocket wheel and on toan empty spool which is frictionally held on the spindle operated by theelectric motor, previously described. The inked wheel is brought againstthe perforated ribbon. by bringing the brushes in contact with the metalsen; ment on the drum, at the same time the counter must show No. 1,alsothe position of the filln is marked in the camera by making oneexposure by operating the shutter in front of the lens, also a definiteposition is marked by means of a pointer and two holes in thegramop'hone disk, wnich holes engage two studs on the revolvingplatforn'i. The standard speed for recording sounds is obtained by thecorrect size of pulleys on the motor, and the speed of the motor may becontrolled by any well known means, and is under the control of theoperator sitting before the perforated ribbon. A mirror may be placedabove the perforated ribbon so that the operator may watch the picturcsthrown on the screen.

As there .are two disks for taking the gramophone records it will benoticed. that a continuous program may be obtained.

1 will now describe the method employed for recording a drama so that itcan be syncln'onically reproduced in a theater by means of the movingpicture machine and the sound reproducing machine combined.

Definite positions have been given to the apparatus above described, butthe first time the ribbons and films are sent through their respectivemachines, the voice sounds are not collected on the records. The playcommences and the camera and gramophone are started by the cameraoperator and autohaatically the marking of the film and ribbon proceedsabsolutely synchronically.

This proceeds until the length of the film -is exposed. When a freshfilm is placed in the camera it is also necessa'y to produce the sameexact positions as were necessary in the first ei-tposures made, andthis must be so with allsubsequent films and ribbons. It will now beseen that we have marked ribbons and marked films and these markssynchronize one with the other, and are made exactly at the same time.nitely recognize these positions'on repmduction it is necessary to laythe films and ribbons on long narrow platforms so that these marks arelettered or numbered which ever. may be desired, but in such a way thateach mark is consecutively lettered or numbered and each of theconsecutive le ters or numbers must synchronically agree. ll the markson the film are somewhat dillicnlt to perceive or the ntiarkingapparatus in the camera is not used it is known that an exact definitelong-tn of film goes over the sprocket wheel to each revolution of thedrum spindle so that by using a gage these distancis can be measured oiland the film marked. it is hcrc necessary to refer to the fact thatwhenthe drama started the shorthand writer immcdiately commenced to putdown the spoken words underneath the munbercd spaces, these wordssynchronizing with-the movements made by the actorsare written downunder the numbers as they appear on the counter before the shorthandwriter, and this operation occurs as each film and ribbon are putthrough their respective macliines.

I will now describe the method of recording the sounds on the disks soas to synchronize with the movements which have been already recorded onthe lihn. The actors stand in front of the horn and have attached tothem telephone receivers which are connected. with the shorthand writer,who previously noted their speeches. The shorthand writer sits near thecinematograph machine which has attached to the sprocket wheel spindle amechanical counter as used with the camera. The film and ribbon andcounter are placed in the machines in the ex act positions as when theywere used for recording the-movements and synclu'onically marking offthe letters on the ribbon. Directly the shorthand writer notices thatthe counter shows a number which correspoinls to number in her bookunder which words have been spoken, she communicates these words bytelephone to the actors, she acts as a prompter and also to make surethat -thc same words are used while the sounds are being recorded on thegrumophonc disks. I might here mention that the records disks have beenplaced in the same position as when the play was being acted on thestage. It will be noticed therefore that these spoken words will beclearly recorded and the ac- To deli tit d epeinlcntly of the songse'iven by the actors.

U 0 The words are snug into the horn of the soi'uul reproducing machinewhen theopero is being; thrown on' the screen in a similar way to thedrains above described, in which c it might be necessary to employ two""ite records for the purpose, the one rcco l giving oil the orchestralsounds re corded during the acting ot the opera, and the other horngiving oil the voice sounds. in this case the horizontal disks andspindles on which the records are revolved would sill here to beconnected by means of e fixed drive. so thet no variation in speed couldoccur between the records.

i. will now teseribe the reproduction out drums in e theater. lit willbe noticed in the invention described that all that is recur ,d for thereproduction of drones is the films, the spools of ribbon and therecord. Tlhe'se con circulate in exactly the some way as the films do atthe present time. After short period of training, no skilled oper- :itorneed travel about with any special up pointus. The moving picturemachines in use t the present time do not require to be altered in anyway. All that is necessary is that each theater provides itselt with estondnrd sound reproducing machine as described in this invention. 4

The ribbons are lined into the sound reproducing machine at the exactpositions synchronicolly agreeing with" the marked positions of the filmwhich is pieced in the moving picture machine, the girl operator sitsbehind the sound reproducing machine on d untclies the numbers orletters marked in ltny desired position on the films. 'The speed ot themotor is regulated so as to upproxinmte the speed of the letters on theribbons passing before the operator to thespeed oi the letters ornumberson the pictures which can be. seen by the operator. The records havingbeen placed in their exact position on the turntables it will be seenthat in reproduction no greiit skill is required to hzn'e :1 completesyncl'ironizetion of the sounds and movements.

i will now describe the dliierent ports of the sold invention, referencebeing mode to be drawings etteched. Plunder letters of clicrcnceindicote like in ell figures.

the sound reproducing machine and the mor ing picture machine and theconnections bee tween seine.

a a are the ho ns for directing the sound towurl the audience, end

2) F) are the hinged lids oi? the sound producing machines c 0 are therei'oli'ing tables on which thc records urepluced. Roch record has twoholes in it. one in the center and one near, and. these holes in thedish permit two fixed pins on the revolving table to give u definiteposition to the record when pl need thereon. A countersunk hole on thedish denotes the place on which the needle must be placed to give thecorrect position when starting.

d is a spindle for driving the revolving table 0. at the end oi" whichspindle is o toothedwlicel; and this gearing is operated by the wormdrive and spindle c. The spindle c is belt or chain driven by n runs ofmotor g through the belting; 7n On the spindle c, which projects throughthe cusing of the sound reproducine machine is mounted a sprocket wheelf. l lull spool of perforated paper or linen t is placed on the spindleto and is passed over the sprocket wheel. on to the empty spool 14 onthe spindle 10 The spindle 20 is driven by the motor 9 through thebelting o and spindle j. The spools are held in position by springswhich are pressed] against the spools and held in position by thepivoted clips to shown in the drawing. A wheel 0 is niounted on a beamor spindle and rests against the ink pod W. This spindle Q is pivoted ona pedestal us shown in the drawings, and is controlled by the drew her37, which is operated by the magnet n and by the springs s in such u.way that when an elec tric current is passed through the magnet, thedraw bur 1) is pulled down so that the marker wheel 0 comes against theperilorated ribbon L. Directly the current is brokein the spring 8 pullsup the marker wheel against the pod and in this way merits are made onthe paper ribbon us it passes alone; on the sprocket wheel 7". Thismarker 0 synchronizes with the contact of the contucts o with thesegment u on the drum on Fig. 'm is the platform on which is mounted themagnet n and the pedestal. to which the spindle Q is pivoted.

r is the guide :lor lreepinp; the spindle in s erticsl direction when.the

till

lltl

is being) operated by the magnet, and the free end of the spindle Qoscillates in this guide r.

a: is the accelerator for controlling the speed oi the motorg operatingthe moving; parts in. the gramo phone.

y is a two way switch which permits the wiring front the camera to beswitched on either gramophone and also connects up the motor tor drivingsame. Fig. shows a sectional riew otthe inside of the can a. o aperforated film passing over the sprocket wheel (1. 7) is the spindle oithe bevel wheel a which drives the spindle d on which the sprocket wheel(2 is morn L l and which is revolved by the operator. 1 spindle d iscarried in bearings ,t 7i, a

:i at one end is mounted the toothed wheel It which gears with thetoothed wheel 5, mounted on a spindle which goes through On this spindleis mounted the wooden drum m carrying metal egment, that on onerevolution of this drum an electric circuit can be made through thesteel brushes 0 and wires Q connected to the accumulator, and to themat-nets a mounted on plattorm m as shown in Figs. 1 to 4:. in this waythe marks on the ribbon tare given a definite position with the film aat certain arranged dislances as previously described. 'lihe spindle onwhich the drum in is mounted has a crank r fixed at the end to which arod 8 is connected for operating the mechanical counter Z" mounted onthe projection a which is attached to the side of the camera. In thisway the number of revolutions of the spindle is obtained. previously described, words written under each number will synchronize with themovements which are photographed on the screen, and these dojlinitemovements are synchronically reproduced alongwith the voice sounds whichare collected in the records when the drama is being produced. Thesevoice sounds are recorded. after the film has been photographed theactors speaking'down the horn on to the record which is used for therecordingof sounds, the operator controlling the speed of the gramophoneso that the numbers on the ribbon 6' agree with the numbers seen on thepicture screen which have been placed on the film for this purpose, aspreviously described.

in giving" a combined reproduction the photograph is placed behind acurtain and the horn projecting beneath the curtain toward the audience.The sound reproducing; machine operator can then watch the small portionof the pictures on the screen on which the numbers are marked andcontrol the speed of: the ribbon 6 so that the numbers thereoncorrespond correctly to the numbers on the film.

it is only in the preliminary reproduo the bearin s g and j.

tien of the 'play while the gramcphone record being made that themovingpicture machine must have attached to it a similar arrangement asshown in. 5 so that the promptcr can read from his notes and communicateby telephone to the actors standing in front of the horn the exact wordswhich are to be used, as said when the play was being photog 'iphed. Allthat is necessary to circulate tor reproduction are the films and theribbons, along: with the rccorns.

'lhese will be circulated. on the sanne lines as the .lilms arecirculated at he present no. This apparatus does not require a riled manto about with it. No alteration required to th moving picture machinesnow ,used, and the only s acial apparatus ,a-c uircd the soundreproducing machines ter the reproduction of voice sounds. in thiswaysit will be possible ,t'or a dran'ia to be put before the publicpractically as acted and spoken by the original players who are used.for the production of it.

ifhat claim is 1. Apparatus for synchronizing); sounds and movements,comprising, a sprocket wheel on a camera and over which a film travels,a drum carrying a metal segment, means for rotating said sprocket wheeland drum simultaneously, a counter which is opcratcd during the rotationoi? the wheel and. drum, contacts which cooperate with said segment, asound recording machine, a ril hon, means'ior movingthe ribbon whenopcrating the recording" machine, an electromagnet electricallyconnected with the contacts, and means operated by saidclcctromagnet forindicating marks on said ribbon, in synchronism with the movement oi thefilm.

2. Apparatus for synchronizing sounds and movements, comprisingv asprocket wheel within a camera and over which a film travels, a drumcarryinga metal seg ment, means for rotating said sprocket wheel anddrum simultaneously, a counter 0pcrated during the rotation of saidwheel and drum, contacts cooperating with said segment, a soundrecording machine including a motor, a sprocket wheel driven by themotor, a ribbon which travels over the last' mentioned sprocket wheel, amarker adapted to marksaid ribbon, an elcctro-n'nlgnct electricallyconnected'with the contacts, and an armature operatively connected withthe marker and adapted to be actuated by said electromagnet to mark theribbon in synchronisi-n with the movement ot the lihn.

3. Apparatus for synchronizing sounds and movements comprismg a sprocketllll) erated during the rotation of said wheel and drum, contactscooperating with said segment, a sound recording machine including amotor, a sprocket wheel driven by the motor, a ribbon which travels overthe last men tioned sprocket wheel, a marker adapted to mark saidribbon, an'armaturd which can ries theinarker, a spring connected tosaid armature, and an -electro-magnet electrically connected to thecontacts whereby to mark the ribbon in synchronism with the move ment ofthe film.

4:. Apparatus for synchronizing sounds and movements comprising asprocket wheel within a camera and over which a film travels, a drumcarrying a metal segment, means for rotating the said sprocket wheelanddrum simultaneouslyya counter oper ated during the operation of saidwheel and drum, contacts cooperating with said segment, asound recordingmachine including a motor, a sprocket wheel, a stationary spindle, arotatable spindle operated by the motor, means connected to the motorfor opcrating the sprocket avheel and the rotatable spindle, a ribbonwhich passes from the stationary spindle over the sprocket wheel on tothe rotary spindle, an inking wheel to mark the ribbon, a pivoted beamwhich carries the inking wheel, a spring connected to said b am, anarmature carried by the beam,

and an electro magnet electrically connected -moved by the motors, twoindicating de vices adapted to be operated by the electromagnets to markthe ribbons, and a switch to control the electric circuits betweenthecontacts and the electrormagnets.

(3. Apparatus for synchronizing sounds and movements, comprising asprocket wheel within a camera and over which a film travels, a drumcarrying a metal segment, means for rotating said sprocket wheel anddrum' simultaneously, counter operated during the rotation of said wheeland drum, contacts cooperating with said segment, two

cet te 1-.-

electromagn ltts electrically connected to the by the sound reproducihgmachine, means forsimultaneously driving the-record and the ribbon, andmeans for controlling the speed of said driving means whereby themovement of the record can be synchronized with the movement of the filmby observing the film markings on the screen and the markings on theribbon and approximating theirspeeds of movement.

8. The combination of a marked film, of a sound recording machineincluding a LLO- tor and record, and synchronizing means between themarked film and the sound recording machine including a correspondinglymarked ribbon operatively connected to the motor, and means forcontrolling the movement of the motor whereby the record is located toaccord with pictures projected on the film.

9. The combination of a camera including a film, a counter, means formoving the film and actuating the counter, sound recording meansincluding a record and a motor, a ribbon moved by the motor, a markingdevice located to mark the ribbon, and means operated by the means whichmoves the film to operate the marker and the counter to indicate on theribbon definite locations on the film, said locations on the film beingin

